Thursday Night DraftKings Showdown: Week 1
We’ve made it, fantasy football and DFS fans! The Houston Texans travel to Arrowhead to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener in what should be a high flying affair. Vegas projects a back and forth contest with tons of points in this one, also known as fantasy gold! The over/under comes in at a whopping 54.5 points, the highest on the entire Week 1 slate, with the defending Superbowl champs favored by 9.5 points at home. Last season in their two contests, the Texans and Chiefs hit the over on this total, with results of 31-24 and 51-31.
During Andy Reid’s tenure as the Chiefs head coach, Kansas City is 5-2 against the spread and 6-1 in win/loss in Week 1 games. With the Chiefs returning 18 starters, certainly they should have the upper hand in this contest as Vegas predicts. Understanding the game flow and the projected outcome is crucial for us to discuss the optimal DFS strategy surrounding this contest. If Vegas is correct in their analysis (they usually are), then it’s safe to assume the Chiefs will be putting up points with ease, and the Texans will need to be playing catchup in the second half. Let’s get into it.
Looking for even more of a breakdown on this Thursday Night Football game? Be sure to check out the DFS Podcast where Kyle and I discussed the matchup and broke down our favorite showdown plays.
Captain Spot Choices
Patrick Mahomes $18,900
If you’re reading this, you’re probably not surprised to see the Superbowl MVP’s name as a top option for the captain spot. In cash type formats, Mahomes is an obvious choice at captain, as he is sure to put up numbers against this subpar Texans secondary. Last season in two contests against the Texans, Mahomes lit up Bill O’Brien’s secondary for 594 yards passing, an 8:1 TD-to-INT ratio, and 52 rushing yards. Last season, Houston ranked 29th in QB sack rate and 22nd in QB hit rate, suggesting Mahomes should have plenty of time in the pocket to execute and pick apart this porous Houston secondary. The only negative about Mahomes in the captain spot? His massive $18,900 salary.
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